Not Subtle Enough
by KitsuneSam
Summary: Conversation between Kakashi and Iruka. Kakairu.


**KitsuneSam- Coming at you with a Naruto one shot. Based on one of those Post Secret postcards (you may have seen them in the All American Reject video for Dirty Little Secret). The one I saw was a wall, and it had the words _"Sometimes we put up walls. Not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to knock them down."_**

**Enjoy.**

**And, MoaV is on the way. Still typing it. VV;**

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Kakashi's visible eye ran curiously over to the ramen shop. He should be able to find at least one of them there. He blinked, surprised to actually find both sitting at the table happily.

"Iruka-sensei! You should have seen the way I handled them! First I punched, and then they screamed, and I punched them again—"

"Alright Naruto! Alright! I get it!" The chuunin chuckled, clearly amused by the boy who was so pleased with himself. "But now that you've finished the ramen," he glanced over at the steadily growing pile of bowls. "Don't you have to go somewhere?"

"Oh, yeah! Kakashi-sensei wants to see us. He'll probably show up a few hours late, though."

"Who knows? Maybe he'll be on time today?"

"You think so?" The blond jumped up, and ran off, leaving a bemused Iruka and a large bill behind.

"Not again," the teacher whined, although he really didn't mind so much. Complaining wasn't something that he got to do often. He jumped slightly, and moved his head to find himself staring at the very copy nin that Naruto had just gone to meet. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"Ah… 'Ruka-san. Just the chuunin I wanted to see."

"You… wanted to see me?"

"Hai, hai. Not a problem, is it?"

"Iie. Ne, Kakashi-sensei. Please sit."

Kakashi took the invitation, and sat down to look over at one of the chefs, nodding in a gesture that explained he wanted a bowl.

"Don't you have to meet your students," Iruka questioned, obviously unable to resist asking.

"Correct again, Iruka. You're on a roll."

"Then why—"

"Just another lesson," he explained away before pulling the bowl close. Iruka looked up, suddenly and randomly determined to catch a glimpse of Kakashi's face. Only to find that he'd finished over half the bowl. How long had it been then, a split second…?

'_Even shorter, actually,'_ he reasoned, dropping his goal as soon as it had come up. He shook his head, then looked at Kakashi again.

"You wanted to see me?" The copy-nin nodded. "What about, then?"

The man's eye curved up into an obvious smile, although the mask hid any facial expression that may have been shown otherwise. "Hai, hai. All in good time. Patience is a virtue, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka rolled his eyes. Typical. He glanced down to look at the man's bowl, only to find that the ramen was completely gone.

"Earth to 'Ruka?"

"Huh?" The man's head shot back up in obvious confusion as Kakashi called him. "Did you… say something?" He blushed. Pure embarrassment at not paying attention.

"I commented on the large bill Naruto-kun must leave you with every time you invite him to eat."

"Oh… yah. That's basically it…"

"Then why do you keep inviting him out to eat?"

Iruka was shocked at the question. "Why would I stop?"

"The kid's going to make you spend all your hard earned money."

"I get paid well enough."

"Not much."

"Missions don't pay much more than my job does."

"Enough, though."

"Liar."

"Why would I lie, Iruka?"

"Why would you show up late to an appointment with your students where _you_ set the time?"

"To teach a lesson."

"Then how do I not know that this is the same with me?"

"But then you'd be right."

"This is a lesson?"

"No, more of entertainment for myself."

"You're entertaining yourself with my pain?"

"Sort of. I'm entertaining myself, because sometimes it'll make you blush."

"So?" Iruka knew he was blushing at that very moment.

"Because you're cute when you blush."

That did it. He had to be blushing at this point. "Um… Arigatou?"

"That sounds like a correct response, 'Ruka-sensei."

"Well then, I'll stick with it."

Kakashi nodded, and moved to pass over some money to the woman at the counter.

"Ne, Kakashi—" Iruka stuck out a hand, resting it on his shoulder. "You don't have too…"

"Iie. I want to."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai," he said, finishing the move he'd started to take. "You know… Naruto is right…"

'_Naruto is right? About what? What could Naruto have possibly told Kakashi that would have to do with me?'_

"The three minute wait _is_ annoying."

Iruka felt like falling over. Trust Naruto to talk about ramen to Kakashi.

"Of course… he's right about several other things as well."

"And what would those be?"

"You are a great person, Iruka-sensei."

"I see… Um… Arigatou, again, Kakashi-sensei."

"Please. No sensei."

"Only if you do the same."

"Ah… I think I can do that Iru-kun."

Was it possible for him to feel this awkward within such a small time span? He hadn't thought so before, but it now seemed highly possible. Kakashi was making him feel uncomfortable immediately, and even now it seemed that he was likely to feel worse. "Do I need to say thanks again?"

"No. Not needed."

"Hai." Iruka shook his head. Kakashi sure could be strange, but there was not much that he could do about that. Then again, it wasn't much of a problem. If Kakashi wanted him to feel awkward, then hells, he would feel awkward.

'_KAMI! Did I really just think that? What's going on here?'_ He glanced nervously at Kakashi, unaware that the copy nin had some ideas that he was not likely to share just yet.

"Iru-kun, do you like flowers?"

"N- nani?" He raised one eyebrow at the strange nin. Perhaps strange wasn't the word. More like eccentric.

"I asked if you enjoyed flowers? You know, flowers—stem, leaves, petals…"

"I know what a flower is, Kakashi-sen…. I mean, Kakashi-san."

"Alright. Then do you like them?"

"I suppose so."

"What kind?"

'_What is this guy trying to do? Does he have major problems, or something?'_ Iruka sighed. Perhaps it was just better to answer Kakashi at a time like this. "I really like Irises."

"Irises? Those pretty purple ones?"

"Hai, Kakashi-senpai."

"Hah. Senpai. Just like old times."

Kakashi was only a year older than Iruka, but he was much further in skill. When Iruka had just scraped becoming a genin, Kakashi had already been a chuunin.

"Hai… Gomen."

"Not a problem, Iru-kun." Kakashi had not forgotten the iris flowers of course. He nodded to Iruka. "Let's take a quick walk."

"Alright." They stood, Iruka found that he didn't even have to pay for his own food. Kakashi had covered everything. "Arigatou," he found himself muttering again as the two of the moved along.

"Do you mind if we stop at the memorial? I go every day, but I have not today."

"Don't you have to meet—"

"Yes."

Iruka sighed. "Alright… Fine by me."

Kakashi nodded. When they reached the area of choice, he simply stood in place for a moment or two.

But Iruka had to break the silence. "Do you miss them?"

"Very much."

"Obito-senpai… and Rin-senpai… Hai?"

"Hai."

Iruka stood stock still. His own parents were on this list… But he couldn't remember them so well. And he did not see them killed in battle. Kakashi… Kakashi had witnessed the death of his two best friends.

"Do you think they would approve of you living so lonely?"

Kakashi was caught by surprise. "I ask myself that every day Iru-kun… and everyday I tell myself that they would understand… even though the answer is no."

"Then why live so sheltered… well, perhaps sheltered is the wrong word to use."

"Because I owe it to them."

Iruka had to stop himself from laughing. What had possibly come over Kakashi to make him think that?

"What is so funny?"

Iruka stopped suddenly, glancing at Kakashi. "Well, they were your friends… they would never want you to become something so hollow on their account…"

The copy nin paused, staring at Iruka. He could be right. This was a highly likely possibility. After all, Obito had never been that type of a person…

"Then what else could I possibly do to honor them."

The man before him smiled. A wave of guilt washed over him in remembrance that he was also a ninja, and had also been through suffering. "Remember them. Remember them and honor their memories."

Kakashi bowed his head, touched by Iruka's words. Remember them… Remember them. Such a simple act, it could just be the answer that Obito would have given. The silver haired man took that moment to take a step closer to Iruka, lifting a hand to touch his scar. "How did you get that?"

Iruka shivered under the touch. "I don't remember. I've had it ever since I was little."

"It matches mine," he said, moving his right hand from the bridge of Iruka's nose to the man's hair, running his fingers through it. He watched closely for any sign of resistance from the teacher, ready to drop this act of intimacy if he did not want it.

Iruka didn't seem to be against it though. As a matter of fact, he was shuddering under the touches. "… You have a scar too? You mean…" He gestured towards Kakashi's face to try and get his point across.

The answer was a nod.

"Under the mask?"

"No."

Iruka was puzzled. "Then where—"

Before he could finish his question, the ninja that stood opposite him moved the hand not in his hair. He watched with wary eyes, when Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate to reveal the scar and Sharingan that lay hidden every other day.

"Kakashi, you—"

With a show of skill that most likely only Kakashi would possess, Iruka was cut off again swiftly when Kakashi proceeded to slowly pull his mask down. Iruka had always been curious of course, but never before had he imagined that something like this would happen.

Yet all he did when this occurred was hold his breath. Kakashi looked more nervous than he did about this event, and Iruka could clearly see it on his face. _'How long has it been since he's shown anyone his full face? Crap, he looks good. Did I really just think that… I'm straight aren't I? Bisexual, maybe, but Kakashi? Really what kind of a—'_

He decided to try and say something. "Uh…"

'_Smooth.'_

Kakashi's jumpy conduct turned instantly to surprised glee. Apparently, he'd seen right through Iruka.

'_As though I'm stained glass. Surely he must know…'_

"Iru-kun?" Kakashi had managed to cut him off yet again. "This is how I am. I would like you to know, that I have been interested in you for awhile."

"Oh?"

"Maybe that wasn't quite the way to put it. I'm going to try being subtle about this, but as you know I'm not known for it."

A phrase Naruto had mentioned Kakashi saying to him once, ran through his mind. _'You don't get it. You just think you get it, which is not the same as actually getting it. Get it?'_ … Not subtle at all. "Hai, Kakashi-san?"

"Will you sleep with me?"

"NANI?"

"Wrong choice of words again…"

"I think I know what you're trying to say…" Iruka said slowly. "And the answer is, yes, I would like to go out with you."

"Oh good." Kakashi suddenly did a very good imitation of a bird of prey. He swooped in on the kill—Iruka in this case—and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek despite how swiftly he'd moved.

Iruka was stunned. "Ka… ka… shi…"

The man gave him a last grin—ah, and what a grin it was—before pulling up his mask. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some students to meet."

He was gone in a puff of smoke (much to Iruka's annoyance) off to gather Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. There was no possible way that the nin could still be watching him. He reached a hand up to his cheek, touching the spot where Kakashi's lips had met his skin. A moment or so later, he began jumping up and down. Joy, rage?

Maybe both.

"Asshole!"

Or maybe just rage, at his friend's antics.

Kakashi stifled a laugh easily, and rolled his only visible eye before disappearing to meet his group for real this time.


End file.
